Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) is turning to nuclear power to keep its AI-fueled future running. On Monday, the company said it’s building its first small modular reactor (SMR) in Tennessee, with energy expected to start flowing by 2030.
The deal could deliver about 500 megawatts of capacity for Google’s data centers in Tennessee and Alabama, using Kairos Power’s advanced reactor technology in partnership with the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).
TVA CEO Don Moul framed the project as bigger than just Google’s energy needs. Nuclear is the bedrock of the future of energy security, he said, adding that Google’s investment helps shoulder the cost and risk of developing new nuclear tech without passing the burden to TVA’s 10 million customers.
It’s the latest sign of how energy-intensive AI has become. Back in October, Google signed deals to source power from multiple SMRs. This Tennessee project shows the company is willing to bet on first-of-its-kind nuclear solutions to keep its data centers and AI ambitions running on clean, steady power.
This article first appeared on GuruFocus.
